Devastating Earthquake Uttarakhand Essay

In June 2013, a multi-day cloudburst centered on the North Indian state Uttarakhand caused devastating floods and landslides becoming the country's worst natural disaster since the 2004 tsunami. The reason the floods occurred was that the rainfall received was on a larger scale than the regular rainfall the state usually received . The debris blocked up the rivers, causing major overflow. The main day of the flood is said to be on 16 June 2013. Though some parts of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in India experienced the heavy rainfall, some regions of Western Nepal, and some parts of Western Tibet also experienced heavy rainfall, over 89% of the casualties occurred in Uttarakhand. As of 16 July 2013[update], according to figures provided by the Uttarakhand government, more than 5,700 people were "presumed dead."[2] This total included 934 local residents.[3]

Destruction of bridges and roads left about 100,000 pilgrims and tourists trapped in the valleys leading to three of the four HinduChota Char Dham pilgrimage sites.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] The Indian Air Force, the Indian Army, and paramilitary troops evacuated more than 110,000 people from the flood ravaged area.[5]

Origin[edit]

From 14 to 17 June 2013, the Indian state of Uttarakhand and adjoining areas received heavy rainfall, which was about 375% more than the benchmark rainfall during a normal monsoon.[11] This caused the melting of Chorabari Glacier at the height of 3800 metres, and eruption of the Mandakini River[12] which led to heavy floods near Gobindghat, Kedar Dome, Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Western Nepal, and acute rainfall in other nearby regions of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and some parts of Tibet.[13]

The upper Himalayan territories of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are full of forests and snow-covered mountains and thus remain relatively inaccessible. They are home to several major and historic Hindu and Sikh pilgrimage sites besides several tourist spots and trekking trails. Heavy rainfall for four consecutive days as well as melting snow aggravated the floods.[14] Warnings by the India Meteorological Department predicting heavy rains were not given wide publicity beforehand, causing thousands of people to be caught unaware, resulting in huge loss of life and property.

Landslides, due to the floods, damaged several houses and structures, killing those who were trapped.[4][14] The heavy rains resulted in large flashfloods and massive landslides.[13] Entire villages and settlements such as Gaurikund and the market town of Ram Bada, a transition point to Kedarnath, had been obliterated, while the market town of Sonprayag suffered heavy damage and loss of lives.[8][15] Pilgrimage centres in the region, including Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, the hallowed Hindu Chardham (four sites) pilgrimage centers, are usually visited by thousands of devotees, especially after the month of July on wards. Over 70,000 people were stuck in various regions because of damaged or blocked roads.[14] People in other important locations like the Valley of flowers, Roopkund and the Sikh pilgrimage centre Hemkund were stranded for more than three days.[14]National Highway 58, an important artery connecting the region was also washed away near Jyotirmath and in many other places.[15] Because summers have more number of tourists, the number of people impacted is substantial.[16] For more than three days, stranded pilgrims and tourists were without rations or survived on little food.[17] The roads were seriously damaged at more than 450 places, resulting in huge traffic jams, and the floods caused many cars and other vehicles to be washed away.[14] On 18 June, more than 12,000 pilgrims were stranded at Badrinath, the popular pilgrimage center located on the banks of the Alaknanda River.[18][19][20] Rescuers at the Hindu pilgrimage town of Haridwar on the river Ganga recovered bodies of 40 victims washed down by the flooded rivers as of 21 June 2013.[21] Bodies of people washed away in Uttarakhand were found in distant places like Bijnor, Allahabad and Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh.[22] Searching for bodies who died during the extreme natural fury of June in Kedar valley continued for several months and even as late as September, 2013, about 556 bodies were found out of which 166 bodies were found in highly decomposed state during fourth round of search operations.[23]

Although the Kedarnath Temple itself was not damaged, its base was inundated with water, mud and boulders from the landslide, damaging its perimeter.[19] Many hotels, rest houses and shops around the temple in Kedarnath township were destroyed, resulting in several casualties. Most of the destruction at Kedarnath was caused by a sudden rapid melting of ice and snow on the Kedarnath Mountain, 6 km (3.7 mi) from the temple, which flooded the Charbari lake (upstream) and then Kedarnath. The temple was flooded with water resulting in several deaths due to drowning and panic-driven stampede.[24] Even after a week, dead bodies had not been removed from Kedarnath town, resulting in water contamination in the Kedarnath valley and villagers who depend on spring water suffered various types of health problems like fever, diarrhoea.[4][25] When the flood receded, satellite images showed one new stream at Kedarnath town. No damage at the Kedarnath Temple occurred. The Uttarakhand Government announced that due to the extensive damage to the infrastructure, the temple will be temporarily closed to regular pilgrims and tourists for a year or two, but the temple rituals will still be maintained by priests.[26][27][28] The Temple opened for pilgrims on Sunday, 4 May 2014. [29]

Other regions Affected by the disaster[edit]

National Capital Region[edit]

New Delhi, Gurgaon and surrounding areas received a high amount of rainfall on 16 June 2013, leading to flooding of the low-lying areas of the cities.[30] The Yamuna River swelled to a new height of 207.75 meters submerging the low lying flood plains along the banks.[31][32]

Uttar Pradesh[edit]

Six-hundred and eight villages, covering a population of 700,000, in 23 districts of Uttar Pradesh were affected by the flood and drought. As of 11 July 2013[update] more than 120 deaths were reported from the state.The number of people who went to Uttarakhand were maximum from Uttar Pradesh [33]

Himachal Pradesh[edit]

In Himachal Pradesh, floods caused loss of life and property and death toll in the state was 20.[34]

Nepal[edit]

About 6000 citizens of Nepal were visiting the Indian region, of which 1,000 were rescued as of 22 June 2013.[35] Flooding of the Dhauliganga and the Mahakali rivers had caused extensive damage, with reports of 128 houses and 13 government offices swept away and over 1000 people homeless.[36][37] A bridge that joins the India-Nepal border is highly damaged or destroyed.

Rescue operations[edit]

See also: Operation Rahat and Operation Surya Hope

The Army, Air Force, Navy, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Security Force, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Public Works Department and local administrations worked together for quick rescue operations.[13] Several thousand soldiers were deployed for the rescue missions.[38] Activists of political and social organisations were also involved in the rescue and management of relief centres.[39] The national highway and other important roads were closed to regular traffic.[14] Helicopters were used to rescue people, but due to the rough terrain, heavy fog and rainfall, manoeuvring them was a challenge.[40] By 21 June 2013, the Army had deployed 10,000 soldiers and 11 helicopters,[26][41] the Navy had sent 45 naval divers, and the Air force had deployed 43 aircraft including 36 helicopters.[42] From 17 to 30 June 2013, the IAF airlifted a total of 18,424 people - flying a total of 2,137 sorties and dropping/landing a total of 3,36,930 kg of relief material and equipments.[43]

On 25 June, one of 3 IAF Mil Mi-17 rescue helicopters returning from Kedarnath, carrying 5 Air Force Officers, 9 of the NDRF, and 6 of the ITBP crashed on a mountainous slope near Gauri Kund, killing all on board.[44][45] The deceased soldiers were given a ceremonial Guard of honour by Home minister of India, at a function organised by the Uttarakhand State Government.[46]

Indo Tibetan border Police (ITBP) a Force which guards the Indo China borders on the high himalayas with its 3 Regional Response Centres (RRCs) based at Matli (Uttarkashi), Gauchar (Chamoli) and Pithoragarh swung into action and started rescue and relief operation. 2000 strong ITBP force with its mountaineering skills and improvisation methods started rescue of stranded pilgrims. It was a simultaneous effort by ITBP at Kedar ghati, Gangotri valley and Govind ghat areas. According to official figures by ITBP, they were able to rescue 33,009 pilgrims in 15 days on their own from extreme remote and inaccessible areas.Before Army or Air Force called in, being deployed in the nearby areas, ITBP took the first call and saved many lives. They also distributed food packets to stranded pilgrims who were in a pathetic condition being not having any food for more than 72 hours at many places.

Aftermath[edit]

The Prime Minister of India undertook an aerial survey of the affected areas and announced₹10 billion (US$150 million) aid package for disaster relief efforts in the state.[47] Several state governments announced financial assistance, with Uttar Pradesh pledging ₹250 million (US$3.8 million),[48] the governments of Haryana,[49]Maharashtra[50] and Delhi₹100 million (US$1.5 million) each, the governments of Tamil Nadu,[51]Odisha,[52]Gujarat,[53]Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh₹50 million (US$770,000) each. The US Ambassador to India extended a financial help of USD $150,000 through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to the NGOs working in the area.[54] and announced that the US will provide further financial aid of USD $75,000.[54]

The Government of India also cancelled 9 batches, or half the annual batches of the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, a Hindu pilgrimage.[55] The Chardham Yatra pilgrimage, covering Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath was cancelled for 2 years to repair damaged roads and infrastructure, according to the Uttarakhand Government.[56]

Government agencies and priests of Kedarnath temple were planning mass cremation of the hundreds of victims, after one week of tragedy.[57][58] Local youths from several affected villages near Gangotri helped stranded tourists and pilgrims, by sending messages to their places and by providing food.[59] Rescuers also retrieved approximately ₹10 million (US$150,000) and other jewellery from local persons, including some people dressed like sadhu babas, who reportedly collected it from a destroyed building of a Bank and damaged shops.[60][61][62]

Climate and environmental factors[edit]

A study by Utah State University [63] analyzed the natural and anthropogenic influences on the climate anomalies using simulations, and found that (a) northern India has experienced increasingly large rainfall in June since the late 1980s, (b) the increase in rainfall appears to be associated with a tendency in the upper troposphere towards amplified short waves, and (c) the phasing of such amplified short waves is tied to increased loading of green-house gases and aerosols. In addition, a regional modeling diagnosis attributed 60–90 % of rainfall amounts in the June 2013 event to post-1980 climate trends.

Unprecedented destruction by the rainfall witnessed in Uttarakhand state was also attributed, by environmentalists, to unscientific developmental activities undertaken in recent decades contributing to high level of loss of property and lives. Roads constructed in haphazard style, new resorts and hotels built on fragile river banks and more than 70 hydroelectric projects in the watersheds of the state led to a "disaster waiting to happen" as termed by certain environmentalists.[64] The environmental experts reported that the tunnels built and blasts undertaken for the 70 hydro electric projects contributed to the ecological imbalance in the state, with flows of river water restricted and the streamside development activity contributing to a higher number of landslides and more flooding.[4][64]

In fiction[edit]

A novel titled A Long Journey was written and published by independent author Pawan Kumar Pandey, which has the floods and the resulting tragedy in its background.[65][66]

^ abUttarakhand: Army Commander walks with 500 people out of Badrinath | NDTV.com

^"Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh battered by rain: death toll rises to 130, more than 70,000 stranded". NDTV. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.

^"Heavy rain lashes north India, 50 killed". The Times of India. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.

^ ab"Monsoon fury in north India: 131 dead(the locals believe the true figure to be in the region of 5000), 70,000 stranded; Kedarnath town ruined". Dehra dun/Shimla. Hindustan Times. 19 June 2013. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.

Satellite image of the affected region, taken on 30 May by NASA's MODIS.

Same location, shot on 21 June during the height of the floods

Devastating floods in Uttarakhand were a disaster waiting to happen

By Anoop Nautiyal

Published: 23:49 GMT, 26 June 2013 | Updated: 23:49 GMT, 26 June 2013

Uttarakhand is in shambles. Disaster, with most people calling it more man made than natural, has exposed the fragility of this beautiful, yet ecologically vulnerable region. Though the fury of nature has been unprecedented, many questions are being asked about the role of the state government.

These questions, based on equal doses of frustration, sadness and anger, are mainly being raised about the lack of disaster preparations and the development model pursued by the government.

By now several facts are well known. The Uttarakhand Disaster Management Authority, constituted under the chairmanship of the chief minister, has had no meetings in the past six years. Successive CAG reports have made scathing remarks on the lack of disaster management preparations in the state. Indiscriminate mining, haphazard urbanisation, rampant cutting of trees and forest covers, use of dynamites for road construction, encroachments, buildings, hotels, guest houses and travel lodges on the river bed, too many hydropower projects, changing river courses, poor structural safety - this was clearly a Himalayan tsunami waiting to happen.

The Kedarnath Temple amid damaged surroundings by flood waters at Rudraprayag in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand this week

Locals in the affected areas claim that this is only the trailer of the massive destruction that is lurking in this region of the country. Many are calling it a 'Human Tsunami'. Uttarakhand is prone to frequent flash floods, landslides and cloud bursts. Climate change is impacting rainfall and cloud bursts in the Himalayan region which have already seen increase in temperature that are two to three times higher than the average global temperature rise of 0.9 degrees.

Against this background, the state has miserably failed to develop any systems of early warning, forecasting and disseminating rainfall and landslide related information. Technology is available that can predict cloud bursts at least three hours in advance but no such sophisticated equipment is used in the state.

In 2008, the Doppler radar system was sanctioned for Uttarakhand but due to lack of coordination between NDMA, IMD and the Uttarakhand government, it was not purchased.

There are other challenges. Uttarakhand is politically as fragile as its mountain ranges. With six different individuals holding the chief minister position during the last 13 years, since the formation of the state in 2000, the average tenure of each has been two years. This has resulted in lack of continuity and failure in getting a firm grip on the issues plaguing the state.

Locals in the affected areas claim that the floods are only the trailer of the massive destruction that is lurking in this region of the country

These figures look even more ominous when compared with Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand's Himalayan neighbour. Himachal has had five chief ministers during the past 60 years. Only two, Virbhadra Singh and Prem Kumar Dhumal, have held the reign of the state since the past 20 years.

The political fragility has resulted in ad-hoc and unplanned development. Successive governments have failed in creating any sort of medium term or long-term plan or vision for the state. Most decisions appear unconnected and lack coherence. They are mostly random in nature and pander to the demand of the moment. Political instability and inexperience have also resulted in lack of articulation about the firm and correct position to be taken by the state in several matters that are most important for them. Programmes and policies are started but often get stopped due to frequent changes. In this scenario how is sustained development possible?

Who is responsible? Clearly, the major defaulter is the political leadership of the state and the government of the day. The political leadership in Uttarakhand, with the exception of a few distinguished and sincere politicians, is widely perceived as being either corrupt and/or incompetent. Internal squabbles hardly leave any time for senior party leaders to give any quality time for public issues, strategic planning and the long-term development of the state.

Just before the massive disasters struck Uttarakhand, five MLAs of the ruling party were camping in Dehradun, for a few days, protesting against their own government and complaining about the lack of development in their respective constituencies. Bureaucracy is being adversely affected. When politicians frequently complain that bureaucrats are not listening to them and the bureaucrats retort that the politicians do not let them work, the leadership deficit at the highest levels becomes clear.

The government is now staring at mammoth challenges. They need to act and act quick on multiple fronts. As Uttarakhand continues to grapple with inclement weather affecting rescue operations and identification and disposal of dead bodies, the next set of action items need to be ready. Detailed impact assessment of affected areas and the learnings from this tragedy need to be documented. Immediate compensation of the locals needs to be finished on a war footing. Roads and bridges need repairs. Hospitals and food supplies need strengthening. Livelihoods dependent on the Char Dham Yatra need to be restored. It's a long list that requires serious planning, coordination and execution.

What next? Where does Uttarakhand finally move from here? This is not only a time to mourn, but also to reflect and create a blueprint for its future and destiny. The policy makers can move in either of the two directions-either follow the path that they have taken earlier and rebuild Uttarakhand on the poor foundation of unscrupulous and unplanned development. Or take a radical, new path and come up with a innovative and inclusive model of development built on the foundation of modern disaster management techniques and equal concern for the environment and livelihoods. This needs to be the starting point for this development strategy. This path will further require an open mind, belief in science and technology, exemplary leadership and genuine compassion and empathy for Uttarakhand. Let's see who is listening and will stand up to the challenge.

(The writer is the former COO of 108 government emergency services in Uttarakhan)